Patel and Bongino Say Epstein Died by Suicide, Sparking MAGA Criticism

FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino have publicly dismissed theories surrounding the death of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying he died by suicide.

The Details: “They have a right to their opinion, but as someone who has worked as a public defender, as a prosecutor, who’s been in that prison system, been in the Metropolitan Detention Center, who’s been in segregated housing, you know a suicide when you see one, and that’s what that was,” Patel said. Patel and Bongino made their statements during an interview on Fox Business Sunday based on their review of Epstein's case file, leading some social media influencers to push back. 

For Context: Epstein's death has been the subject of speculation due to his connections with high-profile individuals and his facing trial on charges of sex trafficking of minors. Epstein's alleged co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in 2021 on several charges related to the sex trafficking scheme and is currently serving a 20-year sentence.

How The Media Covered It: Fox News (Right bias) used some subjective terms, saying Patel and Bongino “insisted” he killed himself and described conservatives as “livid in February after the Trump administration’s Justice Department facilitated a release of documents related to the Epstein case that critics claimed had been 'a complete disappointment.'” The Hill (Center) described Patel and Bongino's answers as “blunt.” MSNBC (Left) described Patel and Bongino as “well-known for being conspiracy theorists in their own right,” adding, they “arguably bear responsibility for the outrage from the MAGA faithful.” Axios (Lean Left) also used the word “insisted” and echoed that the two have “longstanding credibility with conspiracy-minded Trump fans.”

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